“This is an internal matter of JMM” Says Congress’ Banna Gupta on Champai Soren claiming he felt insulted in JMM

Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India] August 19 (ANI): Jharkhand Minister and Congress leader Banna Gupta on Monday refused to be drawn into the speculation of former Jharkhand Champai Soren joining another party, citing it an internal matter of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) party.

“This is an internal matter of JMM, the INDIA alliance has nothing to say on this,” he said.

Assuring trust in Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren he said, “Hemant Soren is a good CM and is running the government well. He understands the minute details of politics. It is their internal matter and I don’t want to comment much on this”.

Earlier on Sunday, former Chief Minister Champai Soren expressed his bitter experiences within the party during his tenure as a Chief Minister of Jharkhand.

Champai Soren stated that he felt “insulted” during his tenure and that “all options are open” for him until the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly polls. He cited various instances where he was not allowed to convene a meeting of the legislative party and was suddenly asked to resign, prompting him “to seek an alternative path.

“In a lengthy post on X, Champai Soren emphasized that he has always engaged in politics with the public’s concerns in mind, from advocating for workers against industrial houses early in his career to supporting the Jharkhand movement.

“Recently, after Hal Diwas, I learned that the party leadership had postponed all my programs for the next two days. One was a public event in Dumka, and the other was the distribution of appointment letters to PGT teachers. When I inquired, I was informed that a meeting of the legislative party had been called by the coalition on July 3, and until then, I could not attend any programs as CM,” Soren said.

“Is there anything more humiliating in a democracy than having a Chief Minister’s programs cancelled by someone else?” he questioned, listing the bitter experiences he faced during his tenure”.

Earlier, following the social media post by former Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren, in which he expressed his bitter experiences within the party during his tenure, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Pratul Shah Deo commented, “This is the saddest state of affairs.”

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, Deo said that the former Chief Minister has exposed “what goes on inside the JMM (Jharkhand Mukti Morcha), and the way they act is very shocking.”He further stated, “The way they cunningly demean and humiliate a tribal leader who is not part of the [Hemant] Soren family is appalling.”

Speaking to ANI on Sunday, JMM leader Manoj Pandey said, “Champai Soren is a cautious leader and remains a member of the party. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment on any of his remarks. However, if he does make such remarks and leaves the party for another, such as the BJP, it would be self-sabotage for him.”

Pandey added that he “can’t believe that a mature politician like Soren would make such a decision to join the BJP, which is already a sinking ship.”

Pandey further noted, “It is his decision to make, and the party will respond accordingly. The impact on the coalition and the party will be a matter for later stages if he leaves. However, Champai Da will suffer immediately, that much is certain.”.